Recruiting Report: Pitt fallout predictable after change

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was forced to resign as Pitt's football coach Tuesday, and it was open season on Pitt's recruits by Tuesday night.

Eighteen players from the class of 2011 had made verbal commitments to Pitt, but those players can't sign a binding letter of intent until February. A sampling of a few Pitt recruits Tuesday night showed how some other colleges are now trying to get a foot in the recruiting door.

"My phone has been ringing off the hook with people calling me, and also college coaches," said Kyshoen Jarrett, a standout defensive back from East Stroudsburg High School (Pa.) and a Pitt recruit.

Clairton's Desimon Green said coaches from South Carolina, Texas Tech, Rutgers and Michigan all called him Tuesday night.

Green had committed to Pitt in the summer, but recently started having second thoughts, mainly because he said he had been told by some Pitt players and others associated with the program that Wannstedt might not be back as coach.

"The coaches from other schools who called me were already recruiting me anyway. But then they came even harder," said Green, who was recruited to play defensive end. "They were all, like, 'See, I told you so [about Wannstedt].'"

Green said he is definitely opening up his recruitment again and said Texas Tech is now No. 1 on his list. He plans to make an official visit to Texas Tech next month. Green said there is a chance, however, he could still sign with Pitt, depending on who the new coach is. Wannstedt and Pitt assistant coach Greg Gattuso were supposed to have a home visit with Green and his family Tuesday night, but that never happened.

"My thing is, I'm going to look elsewhere," Green said. "But I wouldn't close the door on Pitt just like that."

Jarrett said, "I don't know really what to do. My mind is really everywhere right now, as well as probably all the recruits'. Time will tell."